Button and process of making same



Dec. I29, 1942. N o.-BRoD ERsON- BUTTQN AND PROCESS o F MAKING sAM Filed oct. 1o, 1958 nnentor Gttornegs Patented Dec. 29, 1942 stessi BUTTON AND PROCESS 0F MAKING SAME Neil 0. Broderson, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to 1 RochestcriButton Company, Rochester, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York Application october 10,1938, serial No. 234,331

17 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved button and process of making the'same.

An object of this invention is the production from a plastic substance of a button possessing the appearance of natural hoof, horn, shell, or other similar material.

Another object of this invention is the preparation of such a button from synthetic raw materials at a cost considerably lower than if natural materials were employed. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplified process for the manufacture of buttons, whereby useful and decorative natural appearing buttons result.

Another object of this invention is to provide a button not only simulating one made from natural horn in tone and hue, but also in grain structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a button comprising a body made of two or more layers of plastic substance bonded together, the contacting surfaces of the layers being corrugated or otherwise roughened to obtain good bonding therebetween by providing interpenetrating surfaces at the interfaces.

Still further objects of the invention wil be I apparent from the following description.

y'.lhe present invention includes a process of making buttons wherein two or more different colored layers of plastic substance are bonded together in parallel relationship so as to form a unitary sheet, from which button blanks are stamped or cut. A blank is then worked into a button by the usual button-cutting methods, so that the plane of the'iinished button makes an acute angle with the interfacial planes between the layers of said blank. The front surface of the nished button may or may not intersect one or more of the aforementioned interfacial planes.

In case the button is so cut that its front surface intersects one or more of the interfacial planes, portions of differentcolored layers will be exposed in this front surface, thereby giving the nished article the appearance of natural horn or other natural materials -such as hooi orl shell, depending upon the color and texture of the independent layers.

.Howeven if the front surface of the button intersects none of the interfacial planes but lies wholly within one layer, and this layer of plastic 5' substance is somewhat translucent and lighter in color than the layer directly behind it, the varying thickness of the first layer, due to the interfacial planes being maintained in angular relationship with the plane of the button, will permit the color of the layer -behind it to show through with vary- .ing intensity depending upon the thickness of the covering layer, thereby giving the button an artisticI appearance like that of natural horn.

The invention will be more particularly described for the purpose of illustration as applied `ing, in broken lines, the position of a potential finished button;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one type of button cut according to Fig. 3; y

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a blank, showing, in broken lines, another position of a potential button;

Fig. 6 is a plan view ing to Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view of another type blank according to the present invention, showing, in broken lines, the 'position of a potential button;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a button out according to Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a blank similar to the blank of Fig. 7, but showing, in broken of the button out accordllines, another position of a potential button;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a button cut according to Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a, fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a laminated sheet of plastic material having 'a corrugatedv interface from which buttons may be made in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view sheet of plastic substance like that Fig. 11. i

In the drawing, like numbers refer to corresponding parts.

In forming the sheet stock from which the buttons are to be made, two layers of uncured casein are laid up, as i vand 2 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the separate sheets being of contrasting colors or tones. The two layers are then pressed to form a firm unitary sheet of such thickness that the cured stock will be of the desired gauge for the button blanks.

The sheet so prepared is next hardened in of a button made from a vshown in vknown manner, as by curing in formaldehyde solution.

'casein tween the laminae of the blank.

discs is shown in Fig. 2.

Greater mechanical strength is obtained at joint between the laminae and enhanced decifect is achieved in thenishedfbutton,

ayrs 'of plasticsubstance are corrugated For l"ialfasheet may be prepared, asshown'v in 14,' by. `partially consolidating uncured to form a layer 6 having a corrugated surface v'L According to one method of accomplishing this result, a metal plate havingv en `graved on its surface the counterpart 'of the roughened surface desired on the layer, is pressed upon a preformed plane layer of casein lying upon a smooth bed plate, the conditions of time,

temperature and pressure being so regulated that e machining a laminated blank according to this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the button art. For example, instead of being A turned, the blank may be held stationary, and a :rotating cutter applied to shape thesurface at gan angle to theinterfacial plane.'v

` i Fig. illustrates an alternative position4 of a f potential-*button'withixf a blankcomprising. two

to flow into the corrugations of the lower layer and interlock therewith and to completely unify the laminated structure to form a unitary coherent sheet having an irregular line of juncture between the component layers.

A plurality of layers of plastic may be joined in like manner, the interfacial joints between the layers being corrugated. Other methods of roughening and bonding the layers of plastic material may be employed Within the scope of this invention.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing, in which the broken lines delineate and bound that portion of the blank which will constitute the finished button, it will be seen that the plane of the button lies at an acute angle to the interfacial plane be- Further, it will be apparent that the front surface of the finished button will intersect this interfacial plane. 'I'his line of intersection in the front surface of the finished button will divide it into two areas of different colors corresponding Vto the colors of the individual layers I, and 2'. It is this variegated `surface effect shown in Fig. 4, which gives a desirable ornamental appearance similar to that of natural horn or hoof.

In order to obtain this effect, the portions of' the blank outside the broken lines in Fig. 3 must be cut away. This may be accomplished in several ways. One method of so doing is to mount the blank in the chuck of a button lathe so that the angle between the interfacial plane of said blank and the plane of rotation of the chuck is equal to that acute angle desired between the aforementioned interfacial plane and the plane of the finished button, and then to turn down the face of the blank, with the usual straight cutting tool, until portions of the under layer are exposed in the surface of the button. After this facing operation is complete, the halfturned blank may be reversed in the chuck, with the plane of the button and the plane of rotation of the chuck in parallel relationship, and the back of the button machined to the correct contour with respect to the face. Drilling the thread holes, and subsequent finishing operations may be done in any convenient manner.

layers. vHere the front surface'of the. button lies entirely in one layer of the blank,vbut the interfacial plane between the layers is disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button. 'I'he plastic substance contained in the face oi the finished button is of lighter color than the backing layer, and sufficiently translucent that the backing layer is partially visible therethrough. This results in a variegated surface effect, as shown in Fig. 6.

Although the invention has been illustrated with reference to a button blank formed of two parallel layers, it is obvious that a blank of more than two parallel layers might be used to produce an enhanced decorative effect. Fig. 'l shows a blank composed of three layers, and indicates in broken lines the relative position of a potential button, the front surface of which intersects both interfacial planes. button cut from the blank of Fig. 7, in which the three layers 3, 4 and 5 of the blank appear on the face of the button.

Fig. 9 shows another potential button in a three-layered blank in such a position that the front surface of the button cuts one of the interfacial planes but not the'other, although the finished button will be composed of three layers and will appear in plan view as shown in Fig. 10, layers 3 and 4 appearing on the face of the button and layer 5 being partially visible through a portion of layer 4.

'I'he specific examples of buttons cut according to this invention thus far described have been limited to buttons having smooth interfacial planes. However, if the interfacial planes between the layers of the button blank are roughened. as hereinbefore explained, buttons may be made from such blanks in the same manner as those already discussed, and the resulting buttons are not only stronger but also may have a more attractive appearance than those having smooth interfacial planes.

One such button is shown in Fig. 12, and a natural appearing grain similar to that of horn is-evident along the line 9 9, where the interlaminal plane or joint intersects theface of the button. The corrugations, where they are seen in side view on the finished button, also lend a natural appearance to the article.

Throughout the speciilcation and claims the word roughened is used in its broadest sense to describe 4a surface condition which may be corrugated, wavy, lcrinkled, granular or the like.

The invention is not limited to casein as the plastic substance from which the stock is made. Any plastic substance may-be used provided it can be formed into layers, and the layers bonded together to form a unitary sheet, from which blanks may be cut to be machined into buttons. For example, horn flour might be substituted for casein, and the laminated sheet hardened and unified by subjecting it to heat and pressure. Or sheets of heat-hardenable urea-formaldehyde condensation product may be prepared in like manner. The laminated stock sheet may also be The tools and apparatus for machining buttons are well known, and other equivalent methods of cast from a casting type resin such as a phenolformaldehyde casting resin.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the y langle to the planes between Fillers or pigments may be added to the casein or other plastic substances to give unique ornamental effects, or to modify the physical characteristics of the button. The terms colored in the specifi-cation and claims are used in their broadest sense to indicate variations in appearance due to dierences in hue, tone, transparency, grain, iridescence and the like. I

This application is a continuation-impart of my prior application Serial Number 183,538, filed January 5, 1938.

Iclaim:

' 1.' Process of making a button which comprises unifying va plurality of different colored parallel lay-ersof plastic substance to form a button blank, and cutting said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial planes between the layers of said blank to form a button, the plane of which is at an acute angle to said interfacial planes.

2. Process of making a button which comprises cutting a laminated varicolored blank at an acute the laminae whereby to form a laminar button, makes an acute angle with the between the laminae thereof.

3. Process of making a button which comprises unifying a plurality of different colored, parallel layers of plastic substance to form a sheet of machinable hardness, cutting therefrom a button interfacial planes i blank, and machining said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial planes between the layers of said blank to form a button, the plane of which is at an acute angle to said interfacial planes.

4. Process of making a button which comprises unifying two different colored layers of plastic substance to form a sheet of machinable hardness, cutting therefrom a button blank, and machining said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial plane between the layers of said blank to form a button, the plane of which is at an acute angle to said interfacial plane.

5. Processof making a button which comprises unifying a plurality of different colored parallel layers of plastic substance to form a sheet of machinable hardness, cutting therefrom a button blank, and machining said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial planes between the layers of lsaid blank to form a button, the plane of which is at planes and the iront surface of which intersects at least one of the interfacial planes.

6. Process of making a button which comprises unifying -three different colored parallel layers of plastic substance toforrn a sheet of machinable hardness, cutting therefrom a button blank, and machining said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial planes between the layers of said blank to form a button, the plane of which is at an acute angle to said interfacial planes and the front surface of which intersects only one of said interfacial planes.

"l, Process of making a button which comprises unifying two different colored layers of plastic substance to form a sheet of machinable hardness, cutting therefrom a button blank, and machining said button blank at an acute angle to the interfacial plane between the layers of said blank to form a button, the plane. of which is at an' acute angle to said interfacial plane and the front surface of which intersects the interfacial color and an acute angle to said interfaciall f unifying two different colored layers of plastic' the plane of which' -blank to form a button,

8. of making a button which comprises substance to form a sheet of 'machinable hard` l ness, cutting therefrom a button blank, and machining saidbutton blank at'an acute angle to the interfacial plane between the layers of said the plane of vwhich is at an acute angle to said interfacial plane and the front surface of which does not intersect the interfacial plane.

9. A button comprising a plurality of different colored parallel layers of plastic substance bond ed together, the interfacial planes between sai'` layers being disposedat an acute angle to theI plane of the button. 10. A button comprising two different colored layers of, plastic substance interfacial plane between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button.

l1. A button comprising three different colored parallel layers of plasticv su' stance bonded together, the interfacial planes between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button, and the front surface of the button intersecting one of the interfacial planes but not the other.

12. A button comprising a plurality of different colored parallel layers of plastic substance bonded together, the interfacial' planes between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button and the front surface of the button intersecting at least one of the interfacial planes.

13. A button comprising two different colored layers of plastic substance bonded together, the interfacial plane between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button and the front surface of the button intersecting vthe said interfacial plane.`

14. A .button comprising 'two different colored layers of plastic substance bonded together, the interfacial plane between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the buttony and the front surface of the button not intersecting the interfacial plane.

15. Process of making abutton which comprises unifying a plurality `of different colored parallel layers of plastic substance having at least 17. -A button comprising a plurality of -differ' ent colored parallel layers of plastic substance bonded together, said layers having interpenef trating interfacial surfaces, and the interfacial planes between said layers being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the button and the front surface of the button intersecting at least one of the interfacial planes. l

NEIL O. BRODERSON.

bonded together, the 

